‘Doyin Abiola Was A Soldier Of Democracy’

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has described the late Doyinsola Hamidat Abiola as a media trailblazer and a soldier of democracy whose contributions to journalism and national development were profound and enduring.
Tinubu, in a statement issued on Wednesday, August 6, expressed deep sadness over her death of the 82-year-old pioneering journalist, former editor and managing director of the defunct Concord Group of Newspapers and wife of the late businessman and politician, the late Chief MKO Abiola.
According to the statement: “Dr. Doyin Abiola was an Amazon, a towering figure in Nigerian journalism.
“She carved a distinct path in the media landscape, beginning her career as a reporter with the Daily Sketch after graduating from the University of Ibadan in 1969 with a degree in English and Drama.”
He recalled that Abiola shattered gender barriers by becoming the first woman to edit a national newspaper and later the first female managing director of a daily publication in Nigeria, adding: “Her immense contributions to journalism and gender equity laid a solid foundation for generations of women who followed in her footsteps.
“But beyond the newsroom, her impact on our democracy was even more profound.”
Tinubu, reminscing on his close relationship with the Abiola family, praised her political engagement during the turbulent years that followed the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, widely acclaimed as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history and won by her her husband, saying: “As MKO’s wife, Doyin was deeply involved in the political process.
“She played a pivotal role in his campaign, galvanising the media and offering strategic leadership.
“When the military annulled the election, she stood firmly for justice. Even after the Concord Group was shut down, she remained unwavering in her defence of democracy.
“She was a soldier of democracy in every sense.”
The President also recalled her leadership in the media, advocacy for women’s empowerment and steadfast commitment to democratic ideals, praying: “May her soul rest in perfect peace and may our nation be blessed with more women of Dr. Doyin Abiola’s calibre, courage, and pedigree.”
He extended his condolences to the Abiola and Aboaba families, her daughter, Doyinsola, and the governments and people of Lagos and Ogun states.